Panthers Release LB Damien Wilson
One year into a two-year contract, linebacker Damien Wilson has been released by the Panthers, according to Panthers staff writer Darin Gantt. Wilson had been brought in to supplement a linebacking corps consisting of Shaq Thompson, Frankie Luvu, and Cory Littleton, but with Carolina transitioning to a 3-4 defense under a new coaching staff, Wilson doesn’t necessarily fit in the team’s plans going forward. 
Wilson had made headlines soon after signing with the team last spring, getting arrested on an assault charge. Wilson’s ex-girlfriend, Ryan Sokolosky, had told the newspaper that Wilson showed up at her apartment drunk and threatened to kill her while holding a tire iron. Wilson then choked a friend of Sokolosky’s who was with her that night, according to Sokolosky. Wilson followed the two women into Sokolosky’s apartment, where the alleged choking occurred, before getting back into his car and attempting to run Sokolosky over with the vehicle.
While the incident likely didn’t help Wilson’s case, the Panthers are painting it as a cut-and-dry cap clearing move. Wilson had earned his two-year, $6.9MM contract after a career year in Jacksonville. After he failed to contribute at the same level in 2022, and Carolina made their plans to shift defensive schemes, the Panthers made the relatively simple decision to move on from Wilson, clearing approximately $3.6MM in cap space and leaving about $1.08MM in dead money. While getting released on its own is an unfortunate circumstance for Wilson, what hurts more is that he was due a $1MM roster bonus next week.
In a four-linebacker defense, pass rusher Brian Burns will likely move from defensive end to outside linebacker. Luvu can probably function as the opposite side’s outside linebacker after playing a third of his defensive snaps last season on the line. Thompson will man one inside linebacker position. Littleton, headed towards unrestricted free agency, would get the first chance at the other inside position if re-signed. Wilson would’ve been in line to start at that second inside position without Littleton, but even in last year’s 4-3 defense, Wilson had been losing snaps to rookie linebacker Brandon Smith, before first-year defender out of Penn State suffered a season-ending injury late in the year.
Wilson will head back to free agency, this time much less lauded than last year. Following the second arrest of his NFL career and a down year of play in Carolina, Wilson’s market value will be a bit depressed from what it was previously. He’s still the player who was second on the team in tackles for the Jaguars two seasons ago and should be able to find a franchise to take a chance on him this offseason.
Restructure Details: Armstead, Dolphins, Hill, Chubb, Chargers, WRs, Ravens, Pierce, Panthers, Moton, Jets, Cardinals, Eagles, Vikings
Teams have until 3pm CT Wednesday — the start of the 2023 league year — to move under the $224.8MM salary cap. With the legal tampering period beginning at 3pm Monday, teams are working to create cap space for free agency pursuits. Here are the latest maneuvers teams have made on that front:
- The Dolphins have created more than $43MM in cap space over the past two days, being the runaway leaders on this front this week. They agreed to restructures with Bradley Chubb and Terron Armstead to free up $25MM-plus, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates (Twitter links), but they are also using Tyreek Hill‘s receiver-record contract to create room. Miami created $18MM in space by restructuring Hill’s $30MM-AAV deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Hill was due a $16MM roster bonus; that and most of his 2023 base salary have been shifted into a signing bonus. Chubb’s base salary is now down to $1.1MM in 2023.
- Rather than trade Keenan Allen to carve out cap space, Chargers GM Tom Telesco firmly opted against that strategy. The Bolts are keeping Allen, and both he and Mike Williams‘ 2024 cap numbers will balloon. The team freed up $14MM-plus in 2023 cap space by restructuring both their $20MM-per-year wide receiver deals, per Yates. While new funds are available for 2023, Williams and Allen are now tied to $32.5MM and $34.7MM cap numbers in 2024 (Twitter links). Neither should be expected to play on those numbers, which will undoubtedly lead to more maneuvers down the road.
- The Panthers freed up more than $11MM in cap room by restructuring Taylor Moton‘s deal, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. This marks the second straight year Carolina has adjusted Moton’s contract. A Xavier Woods tweak also added $1.5MM to Carolina’s cap space, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
- Michael Pierce accepted a $2MM pay cut to remain with the Ravens, Pelissero tweets. The move added $2.7MM in funds, Yates tweets. Pierce, who returned to the Ravens in 2022, can earn the money back via incentives. Pierce missed most of last season due to a biceps tear.
- Pierce’s former team, the Vikings, took the same path with Ross Blacklock. The 2022 trade acquisition accepted a near-$700K slash which he can earn back via incentives, Pelissero adds (on Twitter).
- D.J. Humphries missed much of the 2022 season, and while the Cardinals have a new regime in place, they are not moving their veteran left tackle. They will use Humphries’ 2022 extension to free up funds, with Pelissero noting (via Twitter) the Cards created $5.3MM in cap space with this restructure. Arizona has moved past $32MM in cap space. More could be coming via a DeAndre Hopkins trade as well.
- C.J. Uzomah‘s three-year Jets deal became a vehicle for the team to carve out some room. The team freed up $3.6MM in cap space with a recent restructure for the veteran tight end, Pelissero tweets.
- The Eagles also went to the restructure well Friday, with Yates noting (via Twitter) they are creating $2.5MM in space by adjusting Jake Elliott‘s deal.
Panthers, Falcons Expected To Draft QB?
Free agency is just about to begin, but plenty of attention is understandably being paid to the next month’s draft. The 2023 quarterback class is rife with uncertainty, though passers could very well litter the top 10 given the need several teams have at the position. 
Two of those squads reside in the NFC South. The Saints have taken care of their QB vacancy with Derek Carr in place for at least the intermediate term, but the Panthers and Falcons could each stand to make a significant addition under center. The sentiment around the league points to both Carolina and Atlanta spending Day 1 capital on signal-callers.
Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes that the Panthers are “fixated” on landing one of the top four QBs in this year’s class (Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis). That comes after it was reported that Carolina would prefer to use their draft position – currently the No. 9 pick – as a long-term means of solving their quarterback position, as opposed to a signing similar to Carr’s contract. Getting within range of Young, the projected top QB to be selected, would require a significant move up the board (likely up to the first overall slot, presuming the Bears trade down), though the other three passers could be had with less substantial maneuvering.
The Panthers are one of several teams not expected to pursue Lamar Jackson, so their focus currently remains on developing their incumbent options and potentially extending their relationship with Sam Darnold. On the other hand, Jimmy Garoppolo – the top veteran set to reach free agency next week – appears to be on Carolina’s radar. Their actions on the open market will no doubt inform their intentions in April with respect to using not only their first-round choice but the draft capital they added in the Christian McCaffrey deal.
The situation is somewhat different for the Falcons, who La Canfora notes are considered “probable” to draft a QB in 2023. They did so in the third round last year by adding Desmond Ridder, who took over as the starter late in the season. His play down the stretch drew praise from owner Arthur Blank last month, though Ridder has not been fully endorsed as the passer to enter the coming season atop the depth chart. The release of Marcus Mariota opens up a roster spot for an addition of some kind, though Atlanta has a number of roster holes which could be filled with a different position when the team selects eighth overall (barring any trades).
Interestingly, the Falcons were the first team reported to not be in the running to offer sheet or trade for Jackson. That decision could point them further towards a Day 1 QB, but they and the Panthers will have competition from a number of other teams picking in the top 10 regardless of how the veteran quarterback market shakes out in the coming days and weeks.
Panthers Expected To Show Interest In Jimmy Garoppolo
As the Jets continue to zero in on Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo‘s market is starting to come into focus. In addition to the Raiders and Texans, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Panthers are likely to be interested in adding the 10th-year quarterback.
This would represent the second straight offseason in which Carolina was connected to Garoppolo. The Panthers, who were tied to Baker Mayfield for months before finally acquiring him via trade in July, were also linked to the one-time 49ers trade chip during that time in 2022. Nothing materialized, as Garoppolo’s March 2022 shoulder surgery scuttled his trade market, but the Panthers’ quarterback need remains. And no trade compensation is now tied to landing Garoppolo.
[RELATED: Some Among Jets View Garoppolo As Backup Plan]
The Panthers were believed to be leery of Garoppolo’s injury history last year. The fact they would consider a pursuit again, now that Garoppolo is coming off a broken foot, would be interesting. The team is not believed to have engaged in serious talks with Garoppolo last year, despite the 49ers giving him permission to renegotiate his contract with other teams. But Garoppolo acknowledged Carolina was in the mix during his lengthy stay on the trade block.
Carolina owes a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Browns for the Mayfield acquisition, after then-HC Matt Rhule came to prefer the then-Browns QB. Mayfield and Garoppolo are each free agents, but after the former No. 1 overall pick struggled in Carolina before being waived in the weeks following Rhule’s ouster, Garoppolo is set to hit free agency as a far more coveted commodity. Although Rhule is now in Nebraska, Scott Fitterer remains in the GM chair nearly a year after the previous run of Garoppolo-to-Charlotte rumors.
Frank Reich has said the team, in an ideal world, would acquire a rookie and build around him. Carolina was in the Derek Carr market and met with the now-Saints QB at the Combine. The Panthers have been mentioned as a team somewhat skittish about overspending at quarterback. Given the Raiders and Texans’ interest in Garoppolo, he also might prove too costly for the NFC South team. But it does appear Carolina will look into the six-year San Francisco starter once the legal tampering period begins Monday.
It is unclear how serious a Raiders pursuit of Garoppolo will become, and the Texans — despite familiar faces in DeMeco Ryans and OC Bobby Slowik entering the picture — bring a rebuilding profile that might not be as appealing to Garoppolo at this point in his career. The Panthers nearly rallied back from their 1-5 start to win the division. With Tom Brady out of the mix and the Falcons also facing uncertainty at quarterback, a door could remain open for the Panthers — even with Carr now committed to the Saints — should they acquire Garoppolo.
Panthers, Commanders, Dolphins Unlikely To Pursue Lamar Jackson
The Ravens ended one of the least suspenseful (but highest-profile) tag sagas Tuesday, cuffing Lamar Jackson amid a third offseason of negotiations with the former MVP. That will turn attention to what teams are out there for Jackson.
So far, teams with quarterback needs are standing down. There stands to be interest in Jackson, though it remains to be seen if any would approach his hope at a fully guaranteed contract. The Panthers pursued Deshaun Watson for two offseasons, but The Athletic’s Joe Person notes (via Twitter) they are not expected to make a push for Jackson. The Commanders offered three first-round picks for Russell Wilson in 2022, but Kimberley Martin of ESPN.com adds they are considered unlikely to go after the five-year Raven (Twitter link).
The Falcons also made it pretty clear, based on the numerous reports to emerge since the Ravens slapped the non-exclusive tag on their quarterback, they will not be part of a pursuit. The Jets are currently meeting with Aaron Rodgers in California, while the Saints signed Derek Carr. As expected, the Giants and Seahawks re-signed Daniel Jones and Geno Smith. This thins the market, but other suitors will loom for a player of Jackson’s talent.
Frank Reich said the Panthers, in an ideal world, would land a long-term option in the draft. The Panthers have not handed the reins to a rookie since Cam Newton in 2011, spending time on a years-long carousel after cutting the former MVP in 2020. Carolina has begun talks with Sam Darnold, presumably as a bridge option. The Commanders just released Carson Wentz and have Taylor Heinicke set to hit free agency. Despite the efforts Ron Rivera‘s team made to acquire a high-end veteran last year, they continue to be linked to giving fifth-round pick Sam Howell a legitimate opportunity to win the starting job. That appears a risky scenario for a team with a coach on the hot seat, but Washington was not closely connected to Carr, either.
Considering Jackson is a South Florida native, it would stand to reason he would be interested in joining his hometown team. How willing the Dolphins are to grant Jackson’s contractual wishes while sending the Ravens at least two first-round picks could be a sticking point here. The Dolphins are not expected to pursue Jackson or anyone else this offseason, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com tweets. The Dolphins, who had the inside track for Watson in 2021, committed to Tua Tagovailoa last year. While recent reports appeared to reveal that trust weakening, Darlington adds Mike McDaniel “fully believes Tua is the perfect fit for his system.”
The Raiders would also seemingly loom for Jackson and hold a top-five cap-space figure ($39.1MM as of Tuesday afternoon), but while Josh McDaniels coached Newton in 2020, it would be a transition for his offense to install a player like Jackson. Still more than $40MM over the cap, the Buccaneers probably lack the funds to make a legitimate pursuit.
Teams would need to revamp their offenses to bring in a unique talent like this; it will be interesting to see which ones move into position as a legitimate suitor. However, this many quickly surfacing as uninterested parties is a bit odd given Jackson’s accomplishments and the value of this position. Teams working in concert to prevent another guaranteed contract from coming to pass would represent collusion, but it is a bit too early to make such a claim. That said, there does not appear to be as many interested parties as expected here.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/7/23
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Suspended two games: S Sean Chandler; DB violated NFL’s substance-abuse policy
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: QB E.J. Perry
Miami Dolphins
- Released: TE Cethan Carter
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Ugo Amadi
Chiefs Aiming To Keep JuJu Smith-Schuster, Likely To Let Mecole Hardman Walk
This year’s franchise tag deadline passed without the Chiefs re-tagging Orlando Brown Jr. They will take their chances on the market, with the veteran left tackle seemingly unlikely to sign before seeing what else could be out there for him. The defending Super Bowl champions are, however, interested in retaining at least one of their notable free agents.
The plan remains for the Chiefs to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster. After making substantial changes to their receiving corps in 2022, the Chiefs want to keep Smith-Schuster in the fold, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. It will take a fairly significant raise to keep Smith-Schuster, though the allure of returning to Kansas City’s Andy Reid– and Patrick Mahomes-led offense will be a factor in the seventh-year receiver’s free agency. Smith-Schuster has said he wants to return to the Chiefs, but after playing on an incentive-laden deal, he will command a nice contract in what will be his third run at free agency.
Although the Chiefs carved out some cap space via the Frank Clark release, they remain a few million over the salary ceiling as of Tuesday afternoon. Teams have until 3pm CT March 15 to move under the 2023 cap. On that note, the Chiefs are viewing Mecole Hardman as a likely departure candidate. They are expecting Hardman’s market to be out of their price range, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. Palmer doubles down on that, with the former second-round pick who missed Super Bowl LVII due to injury likely to leave Kansas City (Twitter link).
Hardman, 25 on Sunday, submitted an inconsistent four seasons with the Chiefs. The Pro Bowl return man did, however, eclipse 500 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons as a tertiary Mahomes target. He has totaled 18 touchdowns; three of those came in a Chiefs rout of the 49ers last season. A groin injury that required surgery shelved Hardman shortly after, and although he suited up for the AFC championship game, an aggravation led to a Super Bowl absence and a surgery.
Hardman, however, is not in danger of missing 2023 time, and Fowler adds some teams believe he will do well in free agency. This promises to be a thin market, headlined by the likes of Smith-Schuster, Jakobi Meyers and Odell Beckham Jr., the latter of whom having not played since Super Bowl LVI. The Panthers are believed to be one of the teams interested in Hardman, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Carolina traded the now-Chosen Anderson last season but still has D.J. Moore and Terrace Marshall under contract. Hardman would make for an intriguing complementary piece in Frank Reich‘s offense.
The Chiefs have big plans for their most recent receiver addition as well. They are viewing Kadarius Toney as a No. 1 wide receiver candidate, Palmer adds. Toney’s substantial injury history clouds that vision. Hence, the Smith-Schuster interest. Marquez Valdes-Scantling also remains under contract, and Skyy Moore should be expected to make bigger contributions in 2023. But Toney has a first-round pedigree and often flashes when he gets the ball. He set a Super Bowl punt-return yardage record and scored a walk-in touchdown in the narrow win. The high-variance speedster will also have a full offseason to acclimate in Reid’s offense, pointing his arrow up despite the injury troubles.
Kansas City may also lose safety Juan Thornhill in free agency, Fowler adds. The Chiefs drafted Thornhill in the 2019 second round as well. This is a fairly crowded safety market, but Thornhill has 52 career starts and made steady contributions for two Super Bowl-winning teams. Some teams view him as this class’ No. 2 safety, behind only Jessie Bates. That is high praise considering Jordan Poyer, Vonn Bell, Julian Love, John Johnson and Adrian Amos join Thornhill in free agency. Pro Football Focus rated Thornhill as a top-30 safety in each of the past two seasons.
Circling back to Brown, the Chiefs are taking the chance they will lose a central part of their O-line rebuild. The team brought in Brown, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith in 2021, fortifying an O-line that had a brutal night in Super Bowl LV. Rather than another Brown tag, Albert Breer of SI.com notes the Chiefs want to solidify their long-term tackle spot this offseason (Twitter link). A Brown tag could have tabled matters to 2024 and created a Kirk Cousins-like situation, when a tag — at 144% of his 2023 salary — would have been untenable. Brown leaving this year, however, will make the Chiefs a candidate to draft a tackle or trade for one; this left tackle market is not particularly deep, Donovan Smith‘s Tuesday addition notwithstanding.
NFL Restructures: Saints, Corbett, Grant, Eagles
The Saints restructured two contracts yesterday in an effort towards salary cap compliance, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Both linebacker Demario Davis and tight end Taysom Hill have agreed to the new arrangements to lower their cap hit next season.
Davis is under contract through the 2025 season, Hill through 2026. Davis had another stellar season for the Saints in 2022. Since joining the team in 2018, he’s missed one game and been a first- or second-team All-Pro in every season but his first in New Orleans. The team converted $7.09MM of base salary for the 34-year-old’s 2023 season into a signing bonus, clearing $5.67MM in cap space off of his contract. He now holds a cap hit next year of $7.61MM with a base salary of $1.17MM.
Hill had another productive year as a Swiss-army weapon for New Orleans. The quarterback/tight end continued to show a much larger impact rushing than receiving but steeply declined in his passing numbers this year. The team converted $8.82MM of base salary for the 32-year-old’s 2023 season into a signing bonus, clearing $7.06MM in cap space off of his contract. He now holds a cap hit next year of $6.87MM with a base salary of $1.08MM.
The team still has several avenues it can explore to create cap space. Defensive end Cameron Jordan ($25.7MM), cornerback Marshon Lattimore ($22.4MM), guard Andrus Peat ($18.3MM), running back Alvin Kamara ($16MM), and quarterback Jameis Winston ($15.6MM) all hold cap hits over $15MM that could likely be restructured.
Here are few other recent moves as teams strive towards cap compliance:
- After signing a three-year, $26.25MM contract a year ago, guard Austin Corbett has agreed to a restructured deal with the Panthers, according to Panthers staff writer Darin Gantt. Corbett contributed to a much-improved offensive line this season, starting all 17 games before suffering a torn ACL in the team’s last game of the year. The 28-year-old is working towards a return spending every day at the facility in recovery. Yates of ESPN reports that the team converted $7.72MM, consisting of his base salary and a $1MM roster bonus, into a signing bonus, freeing up $5.79MM in cap space. Corbert now holds a 2023 salary of $1.08MM and a cap hit of $5.16MM.
- Yates’s above report on Corbett also mentioned the Browns recent restructuring of wide receiver and return-specialist Jakeem Grant. Grant missed the 2022 season with a torn Achilles tendon after signing a three-year, $10MM contract in the offseason. The renegotiated deal for Grant reportedly reduces his cap hit by $1.77MM.
- Eagles center Jason Kelce is currently headed towards free agency or, potentially, retirement. Still, since Philadelphia has a habit of building voidable years into contracts in an effort to lessen the salary cap burden of deals, the team found it necessary to decrease that financial burden that Kelce’s expiring contract has on their future. According to yet another report by Yates, the Eagles paid Kelce a $3MM bonus yesterday, consisting of his $2.75MM 2023 roster bonus and $250,000 2023 offseason bonus, to reduce his 2023 cap hit. The move reportedly cleared up around $2.4MM of cap space for Philadelphia next season.
Latest On Derek Carr
MARCH 5, 6:05PM: Fowler continued with the updates today, tweeting that, while New Orleans and Carolina remain in the conversation for Carr, the former Raiders quarterback “has a slight lean toward the Jets.” It’s unclear what New York’s main priority is, as they’ve been heavily connected to Rodgers, but Fowler reports that they’ve “made an impression” on Carr.
MARCH 5, 3:36PM: While New Orleans remains one of the top teams to watch on the Carr front, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that “at least” two others have inquired about the four-time Pro Bowler. The Jets and Panthers are in a different situation than the Saints, of course, but that trio could see increased competition in the coming days if more teams join the fray.
MARCH 4: Plenty of attention around the NFL is currently being paid to the 2023 class of quarterbacks in the upcoming draft. The top veteran passer currently on the market is certainly the subject of significant speculation and reporting as well, though. 
Derek Carr has been connected to a number of teams since he was released by the Raiders. Those include the Jets, who view him as their backup plan to Aaron Rodgers, and the Saints, who are reportedly prepared to work out a deal with Carr at any time now. The Panthers could also be in the market for a veteran signal-caller, though they are positioned to be contenders for one of the top rookie QBs this year as well.
Carolina met Carr in person earlier this week at the combine. That signaled their interest in at least doing their due diligence at the position, though it also came not long after the team was reported to be unwilling to meet the $35MM-per-year contract the 31-year-old is said to be seeking. That did not represent the only contact between the Panthers and Carr.
The two parties spoke over the phone before the combine and will do so again this Monday, as detailed by ESPN’s David Newton. When speaking on the subject of a possible Carr deal, head coach Frank Reich indicated that he would view the four-time Pro Bowler has a long-term investment despite his age (especially compared to the possibility of drafting a signal-caller in the first round of April’s draft). The latter approach is nevertheless believed to be the Panthers’ preference, reports Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network (video link).
That could point Carr towards the Saints as his free agent process continues to take shape. On that point. Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Advocate tweets that Carr could sign with his new team before free agency begins, perhaps as early as this coming week. That sentiment is shared by Wolfe’s colleague Ian Rapoport (video link).
The Saints have plenty of work still to do in terms of becoming cap compliant, let alone carving out enough space to afford Carr on a market-value deal. Like the Panthers, however, they are in need of at least an intermediate-term upgrade under center, so their interest is unlikely to wane in the coming days. That timeline could see a final decision made on Carr’s part, which would represent the first major development in the 2023 quarterback market.
D’Onta Foreman Would Be “Hot Commodity” In Free Agency
Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman is expected to be a “hot commodity” should he hit free agency later this month, as Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com reports. Foreman recently indicated that he wants to return to Carolina, and Wilson says the team will attempt to retain the Texas product.
After the Panthers traded Christian McCaffrey in October, Foreman became the club’s feature back, and he ended the 2022 season with 203 carries for 914 yards (4.5 YPC) and five touchdowns. That represented a continuation of the solid work he displayed with the Titans in 2021, when he carried the ball 133 times for 566 yards (4.3 YPC) as an injury replacement for Derrick Henry.
So it stands to reason that Foreman would generate interest in free agency, and we heard in December that outside clubs were monitoring his status. Obviously, having a number of teams involved will help Foreman’s cause, but there are also several factors that will limit his earning power. For one, running back is no longer considered a premium position, and Foreman is not an elite talent who will be paid like his Pro Bowl-caliber colleagues. Second, even though players like Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard will likely be kept off the market via the franchise tag, talents like Miles Sanders, David Montgomery, Kareem Hunt, and Devin Singletary could be available, and even Saquon Barkley could be there for the taking.
Plus, Foreman is a between-the-tackles runner who does not offer much in the passing game. In light of all of those considerations, Spotrac estimates that the soon-to-be 27-year-old merits a one-year contract worth $3.4MM. That would be a nice raise from the $2MM salary he earned in 2022, but it would not be a budget-busting sum that the Panthers would be unable to afford (particularly as the team’s other RBs, Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear, are on eminently affordable rookie deals).
In related news, new Carolina head coach Frank Reich has said that the team is prioritizing a new contract for center Bradley Bozeman, as David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. We heard in January that Bozeman is interested in remaining with the Panthers, so there is a good chance that the parties will strike an accord in short order.